The Chronicles of Wesley Tolson
by The Glitch Mob
Summary: A coming of age story that follows the life of trainer by the name of Wesley. Taking on the world alone he and his Pokemon rise to challenge of becoming a champion. Weather his adventure drags him through the mud or takes flight him over the tallest mountains one thing is for certain. They all will remember his name. Original Characters and an Original Region.
1. Chapter One: Lightning

**Hello everyone. I go by the name Glitch mob for the band that produces the music while I write. This is a story about pokemon that I had rattling inside my head and I though i'd actually come and share something on this site. So thank you for clicking on my story!****  
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******So this a pokemon story that takes a more realistic approach to how pokemon are and react with people so it doesn't take after any of the games or anything like that. These characters and the region are completely my own. So with that I'd like to thank you again and if you can please review! I really love that I can get instant feedback on these stories I write. ENJOY!**

******Thanks to my friend Kala for editing!  
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**The Chronicles of Wesley Tolson**

Celliance was a country tore by war; The Era of Black Fire (as most people called it) was a terrible time for the habitants. A Five year long war left much the country in ruins, Towns leveled, Forest burned down, giant fissures tearing massive rifts in the ground. It was hard to believe that in those five years they caught destruction on a massive scale. But it was necessary because when the Legion of Black Fire had been defeated the country was renaming New Celliance to symbolism its Freedom in a new era. In just 30 years it was put back on the map as one of the power houses of the world. Now something else threatens that balance of peace. A new chapter in this story starts with a young boy who lives in a busy city known as Helios. Today is a special day for this boy, because today is his graduation day, which means he will catch his very own pokemon and start his Journey becoming the hero New Celliance needs him to be.

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**Chapter One: Lightning**

"WAKE UP WESLEY!" Enid's cold tone echoed through his ears. The young sixteen year old popped up immediately brown eyes frantically jetting around the room until they rested on his teacher.

"Sor..ry Ma-" he studdered

"Today is an important day for you. So please, don't do me the displeasure of having to fail you on your graduation day." She quickly interrupted him.

Enid Amundson. The teacher of the graduating class of 2012 stood tall glaring down at him. It was easy to tell Enid served in the military with her incredible posture. Her arms neatly folded behind her back her long golden blonde hair neatly tied into a bun and if that didn't give it away, she always wore the white and grey uniform symbolizing her alignment to the New Celliance government.

"Now" she said turning her blue hues back towards the class "When we get to the preserve you will all conduct separate interviews. They will ask you questions about the rules and etiquette of being a trainer and owning a pokemon. If you wish me to elaborate ask your questions now."

A few hands started to rise.

Wesley wanted to pay attention to everything that being said but he found it hard to focus.

The lack of sleep he'd gotten last night made everything feel hypersensitive and all he wanted to do was put his head down and just die. He looked over at his friend Hugo who was now staring back at him. Hugo gave him a look as if to question what's wrong but Wesley simply shook his head. He just went back to trying to stay awake but when a knock at the door rang in his ears made him cringe. A man looking to be in his early twenties, who was dressed in a similar grayish white uniform as Amundson, opened the door.

"Good morning General."

Enid let out a small sigh "I'm not a General anymore."

"Sorry ma'am, my apologies but the bus is ready."

Enid turned to her class and hooked her thumb at the door. "Move."

Hugo got up from his desk moved passed all the other students and found his way to Wesley.

The two friends were complete opposites in by any physical comparison; Wesley was small short and thin, while his friend was taller and a bit on the wider side of things, while Wesley's hair was long, Hugo barley had any hair covering his head. The only thing you could say they had in common was they both carried the gene for brown eyes.

"Another long night?" Hugo asked.

Wesley nodded his head looking over at his friend.

"Let me guess he was drunk off his ass again?" said Hugo.

"Threw up everywhere and passed out in it." Wesley said pulling himself out of the desk starting to follow the students out the door. "Took me all night to clean him and it up."

"Hey at least this time tomorrow we will be on our own and you won't have to put up with that asshole anymore." Hugo said as he walked along with Wesley.

"Please don't jinx it man." Wesley said rubbing his temples.

"No worries, Today is gonna be a good day!" Hugo said as they both exited the door feeling the spring morning air hit their faces. "Hey did you catch the semi –finals last night?"

Wesley stepped into the bus first and started down the aisle looking for an open seat for him and his friend. "Some of it, you know the whole mess."

"Jace cleaned house," Hugo told him sitting down next to his friend who just found a free seat. "Can't believe he is only twenty-two and he's on his way to winning his second Summer Games."

"Can't wait for the finals, that's were all the good stuff happens." Wesley said.

The two boys continued as the two buses full of student's that were graduating started to roll exiting the school parking lot. Helios Preserve was convenient for the students, since all the kids in the surrounding towns and cities of Helios had to wake up to travel to the preserve, they did not.

"I think I want a dragon pokemon as my first." Hugo said about fifteen minutes into the trip. "I mean I know they're really hard to get but I'll spend all day here if I have to."

Cecelia the dark brown haired girl in Wesley's and Hugo's class was now hanging on the back of their seat look down and them and said "Dragons are cool, but I want a Teddiursa."

Hugo immediately seized up and turned his head to look out the window. It was painfully obviously to see he liked Cecilia after all she one of the prettier girls in their school. It was painfully shameful how much he talked about her but would never talk directly to her.

"Really?" Wesley asked.

"Yea, my dad used to tell me this time about how he found a family of Ursaring and they were defending their cubs from a pack of Houndoom that he was tracking. He said the way the bears moved was incredibly fast and ripped the Houndoom apart in seconds."

"A giant bear monster tends to have that effect on you." Wesley said

"Right?" She said with a small laugh to her voice. "What about you Wes?"

"I don't know, I haven't thought much about it."

"How come, it's only like the only thing we've be talking about for like months?" Hugo said finally gaining his composer, you know as long as he didn't look at her in the face.

"I don't' know just been busy." Wesley Answered

"With what?" She asked

Hugo knew not to speak about Wesley's family life with other people so he just looked the other way. Wesley looked at Cecilia for a moment and started to form an excuse in his head, when he turned and saw in the distance the giant twenty foot walls surrounded the preserve. From the aerial view the highway gave them they could see that Perverse was massive littered with dense trees, bodies of water, and if you looked close enough you could see the area where the heat waves coming off the ground was. All the students looked out the window over at it. Wesley thanked the timing since he didn't want to go off lying to Cecilia. He didn't like to lie.

It didn't take long for them to exit the high way to pull up to the area for their school to park when they could see hundreds of students from surrounding cities pouring into the wide arch way at the front of the preserve. The student on their bus shuffled off and followed Enid towards the entrance. The noise of everyone walking echoed off the giant entrance way room. The floor was a white marble color with high ceilings hanging banners of 'Join Now!' military poster to advertisement about league champion ship and summer and winter games. There were many double doors all around the building but Enid seemed to know where she was going as her class followed her through a pair of double doors labeled Hall D. Once they started down a long hallway they passed numbered rooms but they didn't stop till they got near the end of the hallway.

"I'm going to tell you a door to go into, you go into it and sit down clear?" Enid commanded.

They started to stop each door labeled with numbers on it. The first few students in line were put into number one. When she got to Wesley and Hugo they were put into 14 with Cecilia, her friend Jenny, and another boy Wesley didn't really know. The waiting room was smaller more office looking than the waiting room. As each person took a seat a lady dressed in a New Celliance uniform walked out door that sat in the back of the room.

"Okay" she spoke in a clear tone. "I'm going to call each one of you one at a time we will conduct your interview and if you pass you'll be handed your trainer card and you'll head off into the preserve and catch your first pokemon."

Everyone looked at her in understanding and she pointed toward Cecilia first. After about ten minutes she walked out of the back room holding her brand new trainer card in hand and the lady spoke. "Okay exit the door turn left walk all the way down the hall double doors colored red." Cecilia nodded her head, said thank you and walked out giving a small wave to Wesley and Hugo. They both gave a small nod in congratulations when she called the boy they didn't know into the room. It only took 5 minutes before the boy burst out of the room screaming that this was all bullshit and stormed out of the door. Hugo and Wesley just started at him and laughed to themselves as he exited.

After Cecilia's friend walked out with her card Hugo was called in which he walked out with his card a couple minutes later. "It's in the bag, you got it."

The women motioned for him to come into the room. It was just another normal office room with filing cabinets and a book shelves and a desk in the middle which she told Wesley to sit down in the chair in front of the desk while she walked around sitting in the big chair and started to type on the computer.

"Name?" She asked

"Wesley Tolson."

"Age?"

"Sixteen."

She lifted a brow at him. "Birthday?"

"November 3rd 1995."

"I'm sure you've been aware of this, we don't normally allowed sixteen year olds to but since you fall within the six month range until your birthday you are eligible." She said. Wesley thought about how Hugo and Cecilia were all older than him. He was one of the youngest in his class room.

"So this interview is just to gage your knowledge on the rules and regulations of pokemon trainers and ownership etiquette." She went back to typing on the computer. "Okay so, tell me why are trainers only allowed to start their journey at sixteen or seventeen?"

Wesley put his hands into his lap and thought for a moment. "Umm well, because of the war right?" He said pausing "A lot of trainers were young and poor and weren't mature enough to see the through the aid of criminal organization."

She looked over at him and nodded "The second part sure, but why do you mention the war?"

"Isn't that what lead to it? Poverty of the people, they didn't like how things were ran?"

She nodded her head and started to type on the computer. When she didn't answer his question he went to lightly scratching the top part of his left hand.

"What is the punishment for using a pokemon on another human being." She asked.

"Uhhh, death."

"Correct, any use of force is prohibited by law and will result in your own execution and that of your pokemon." She said now typing on the computer again. "Just a few more."

"If you can't afford housing for the night or any supplies on your travel where do you go?" She looked up from the computer.

"The New Celliance bases will provide free over night housing for trainers." He answered quickly as if he were reading the answer from a text book.

She went back to typing on the computer. Over the course of the interview she asked many other basic questions about traveling and rules of battle all of which were pretty self explanatory.

"What do you want to do after you graduate today?"

Wesley wanted to tell her he didn't know. He didn't even know if being a trainer is what he really wanted. He wanted away from his family most of anything. He was sick and tired of cleaning up after his drunken father only to have to listen to him degrade him the next day. He was angry that he watched his mom do nothing about it. He was tired of being a verbal punching back for them.

"A trainer." He said.

She stared at him for a moment before she went back to typing on the computer.

"Okay it looks like everything is good here." She typed a few more things on the computer and he heard something printing below the desk. When she reached down and pulled up a small card and handed it to Wesley. "This is your trainer card. Don't lose seeing how it's illegal to own a pokemon without one."

Wesley looked down at the card. It had his picture from his school, his trainer number where he got the card from and on the back his thumb print and a barcode. They must have gotten his biometrics from the school.

"Down the hall with the red doors, good luck." She said she motioned to the door.

When Wesley exited the small office there were more kids sitting in the room waiting to be called into the back. As he walked down the hall way he could feel the exhaustion from the lack of sleep but the excitement was starting to overcome that. Being a trainer may not be what he really wanted to do, but getting your first pokemon has some excitement to it. As he entered the red doors he was in some sort of garage housing many small jeeps that Wesley could see individual newbie trainers getting in with guides wearing Safari gear. He walked up to the make shift desk who asked for his new ID. She scanned it and told him to have a seat and wait for name to be called. Wesley couldn't see anybody he recognized and sat by himself at an empty chair. He listened to all the kids around him talk about what pokemon they wanted; off in the distance he could see jeeps pulling up into the garage with trainers holding they're brand new pokemon in hand. After what seemed like an hour his name was called over the intercom telling him which jeep to report to.

"My name is Jason." The man in the safari outfit said holding out his hand. Wesley reach out grabbing his hand. "Wesley."

"Well Wesley feeling excited?" Jason said walking to the driver seat of the jeep. Wesley jumped in the passenger seat "Uhh yea."

"Any idea of what you want?" Jason asked. This took Wesley a moment he still really haven't given it much though. He started to wrack his brain with going through all the pokemon he knew of but nothing seemed to stick. After he didn't answer Jason said.

"Don't worry about it, you aren't the first person. We have all day and night so we will find you something."

The engine of the jeep sparked to life as Jason hit the accelerator and the jeep passed though the bay doors of the garage and on to a dirt path. Wesley didn't realize how stuffy the building seemed until his skin touched the fresh outside. The view is what made his jaw drop. In every direction all you could see the carefully crafted plots of land spading over arcs of vegetation. It was much better than the view from the high way. He could spot other new trainers with they're guide showing off the pokemon in the area. He even saw somebody catch a baby Pidgey. They drove for a bit when the jeep started to slow its speed and turned down another road that seemed to start to head past thick trees.

"Since you don't know what you want let me show you what you can expect out there on the road." Jason said. The jeep was now clawing along the road while Jason was looking around for something. That's when Wesley spotted something up in a tree.

"Hey look." Wesley pointed.

"Oh yea, Spinarak." Jason said "These are just hatching though."

The cluster of Spinarak were dangling from the branch connected by a think string of silk web. The baby spider pokemon were bouncing along swing on their webs gleeful playing with each other and whatever they could find. Off to the left something big thrashed it way out of the bush moving at an incurable speed. An Ariados holding a rather large dead bloodied Ratata in his mandibles stopped at the base of the tree and look up at it hatchlings. It climbed the tree disappearing in the tree tops above while the tiny spiders followed their mother up.

"So how about a one of them?" Jason asked

"I don't know spiders never really sat well with me before."

"Fair enough."

Jason let his foot of the brake and started to move down the path way again. "Hey Jason." Wesley said.

"Do you see that a lot out here? Pokemon hunting other Pokemon?"

"All the time, and you're going to see it more out there in the wild." Jason answered.

"You can't do anything about it here?"

"Well we could feed them with pokemon food, but this preserve was built a natural order to things." Jason said turning mindlessly turning down another path. "You see after the war a lot of pokemon in this region were being wiped out. Forest fires, fissures it changed a lot of it left this place in ruins. So much that migrations were changing that some pokemon were just leaving. This led to a panic people started catching whatever pokemon started dying out. It was a mess. I'm sure on your adventures you'll see areas still scared by the war. Anyways the New Celliance government wanted a controlled place where they could protect spices of pokemon and introduce them back into the wild if they needed to. It just so happen to double as a functioning area to give youth their first pokemon."

Wesley nodded his head as he listened to the man. He knew most of the stuff already it something they tend to drill into your head over and over in class but deciding not to be rude he just listened on.

"So all the pokemon here have to learn how to survive on their own; the only thing we really provide is population control." He said gesture to his left were another guide just helped a student catch a Lotad. They exited the forest and now and now the jeep picked up speed. They were now in a field were Wesley say tiny pokemon scurrying out of the way. They drove for another few minutes follow the dirt road when he saw another set of jeeps parked along the road. Jason pulled up behind them, parking the Jeep.

"These pokemon usually run from the jeep so we wanna walk now if you want any chance of seeing them up close."Jason said pulling a pack from that back of the Jeep.

Jason said as he motioned for Wesley to follow. Jason seemed know where he was going and walked off path and led him over a large hill but when they got to the top of it Wesley instantly felt the heat hit his face. When he looked down at the bottom of the hill he saw six tiny little Charmanders wobbling trying to find their footing.

"Wow, they are so-" Wesley said when a loud roar rang out in the distance. When Wesley and Jason turned their heads they saw the mother a giant Charizard burst from the tree tops flying over to her nest and landing on the other side of Wesley and Jason. Wesley heart felt like it dropped out of his butt when he saw the monster. He was frozen looking up at it he didn't even notice the kill it had in its clutches. Jason just let out a laugh.

"Don't worry kid, they aren't prone to attack us unless we harm their young." He said continuing down the side of the hill back on the path. It took Wesley a moment before he started to move but once they got going they passed by all sorts of pokemon that didn't seem to stick out in Wesley mind. A pack of Growlith and its evolution ran past them. A lake with Poliwags and he even passed a group of Eevee being led by a Flareon who were being chased down by a guide and a newbie trainer.

"Alright kid let's take a break." Jason said checking his watch. "Want some water?"

Wesley nodded and stopped enjoying the shade of the tree that they stopped under. His eyes surveyed the area off in the distance he saw Ninetails, There were at least five of them lounging around an area that they made into their den.

"You want to get closer?" Jason ask holding out a canteen.

"Yea sure." Wesley answered.

They both took the short walk until they were close enough to see them. Wesley didn't notice it before but one of the Ninetails has a silver tint to his coat.

"Why is his-"

"Color different?" Jason cut Wesley off. "He is a male, It's hard to come by them in wild since they are never really seen. Best chance of getting one is while it's a Vulpix." They both took sips of the water.

"Normally Ninetails aren't aggressive and are peaceful but when it comes to their young." Jason said. "

"Explains why we're so close?"

"Yeah the silver on is named Lightning, Ninetails usually outlive their trainers. So when Lightning's trainer passed away he donated his pokemon to the preserve. Lightning has been really helpful around here. Took roll as Alpha male among his species around the preserve."

"Why did he call a fire pokemon lighting?" Wesley asked.

"You are about to find out" Jason pointed at the same group of Eevee following the Flareon mother that looked as though they escape there pursuers. They just so happened to wander into the wrong territory. The pokemon known as Lightning cocked his head to the side as he saw the Flareon wander into his territory. It was literally like lightening he kicked off his hind legs and was on the Flareon in a matter of moments pinning him to the ground letting out a vicious growl.

"Is he gonna kill her?" Wesley asked his eyes locked on what was happening.

"Most likely"

"What about the Eevee aren't they just babies won't they die?" His voice faltered a little thinking about the little Eevee pups starving because their parent was dead.

"Wesley…" Jason started trying to not to sound like cynical jerk. "It's just the natural order of things. This kind of stuff happens in the wild all the time."

The Flareon let out a high pitch screech at the Silver Lightning causing him to back off while the Flareon quickly reverse its position kicking off the ground aiming its thick skull at Lightning and bashing her head into his side. The silver fox hit the ground a rolled a bit before springing back to action. Lightning's face scrunch together revealing a seat of vicious looking canines followed by the sound a deep growl. Lightning stood his ground for a moment when he opened his mouth what came out made both Jason and Wesley lifted their heads to cover their face from the heat. A fire ripped through the air towards his target with such intensity that the grass around fire attack had scorch marks.

The Flareon jumped out of the way of the fiery attack while its little Eevee pups all ran away and were now hiding behind a bush far off in the distance watching. The Flareon tried to close the distance between herself and Lightning, but the silver fox wasn't having any of that. He rushed forward with such agility he crashed himself into the Flareon sending it fly backward hitting the ground with a loud thud. Lightning didn't let up kicking off his legs he rushed forward again. The Flareon jumped up and used whatever agility it has left in its body to avoid Lightning's next attack but the pursuit was on. It was a game of cat and mouse now. Lightning was far superior in speed and strength. The chase came to an end when Lightning's claws started to glow and in a quick flash he went from behind the Flareon and now he was in front of her. His Metal Claw struck the Flareon on its leg causing it to trip and fall smacking its face on the ground and rolling a few times before coming to a sliding halt right near Wesley.

"Hey Wesley maybe we should back up a little." Jason said caution laced in his voice.

Lightning sat off in the distance pacing back and forth looking over at the Flareon. The Flareon managed to get up but when it went to walk on its injured leg it cried out in a yelp and fell to the floor. It got up once more and started to limp its way over to its young but fell to the ground again. There was a visceral sound that came from Lightning as he rushed forward its teeth ready to plunge into the Flareon's neck.

"STTTOOOOOOOOOPPPPP!" Wesley screamed and ran in front of Flareon holding his arms up wide not taking his eyes off the silver colored pokemon, but when he expected to be killed where he was standing he just saw lightings teeth in front of his face. A deep growl bellowed from within the beast. Lightning tilted his head staring down at Wesley for a moment before kicking off its hind legs back towards its pack. Wesley felt swear drip from his pores as his legs trembled. What did he just do? His body felt heavy and his breaths were deep and heavy as the adrenaline in body kept pumping.

"ARE YOU FUCKING STUPID!" Jason yelled.

"Help her." Wesley said finally finding the use of his legs again turning around to look at Jason.

"I don't think you understood me the first time, ARE YOU STUPID?!" Jason said his voice reaching its peak again.

"Help her." Wesley repeated.

"Wait, what? No."

"Please, I'm begging you help her!" Wesley pleaded this time. Pointing at the injured beast

"I told you I can't, were not allowed to interfe-" Jason was looking at Wesley face then to Flareon and he rolled his eyes. "Fuck fine." He said slinging the back pack around front pulling out a Hyper Potion and a small metal can and a rag. He walked over to the injured pokemon and started whipping blood from its leg. Then after spraying her leg down with the strong potion he unscrewed the cap to the can he took a glob of this pinkish looking stuff that looked like hair gel. Wesley recognized the stuff; it was numbing agent for the pain on the really bad injuries. It was developed during the war back when towns were being flattened and PokeCenters weren't always available. The wound on the leg seemed to stop bleeding and when he smeared the agent over the wound the Flareon stood up and started to limp towards its babies. "I better not lose my job for this." He said with a loud sigh.

Jason walked back to his pack and started putting stuff away. "No I mean it," He said about to repeat himself, "If they fir…" he stopped as he looked at Wesley. Wesley quickly turned around to see Lightning sitting behind him. Wesley looked up at him as his heart started to pound against his chest again. He didn't even notice that Lightning has something in his mouth. The silver fox lean forward placing a small reddish Vulpix cub on the ground in front of Wesley.

"Uhh Jason? Wha- whats going on?" Wesley stammered.

"I think he's giving you his baby."

"Does that normally happen?" Wesley asked not keeping his eyes off Lightning.

"No, not normally… uhh Wesley do you want this Vulpix?"

Wesley eye'd Lightning then down to the little sleeping cub. "Yes."

"Okay here take this pokeball."Jason was now beside him holding out a miniature pokeball. "Hit the button the ball will grow and just give it a little toss at her."

Wesley followed his instructions and gave a little toss at the Vulpix. She instantly materialized into light and disappeared when the ball snapped shut. The ball wiggled for just a moment and then it sat still. Lightning's eyes were on Wesley as the pokeball sat at his fox's feet. Lightning leaned down and with his snout he simple hit the ball so it rolled over at Wesley. Wesley picked the ball up and held it in his hand.

This was his Pokemon.


	2. Chapter Two: Trouble on the Home Front

**So a lot of my starting chapters are just set up so I hope you can bare with for readying hope you and enjoy. Also review I love instant feed back!  
**

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**Chapter Two: Trouble in the Homefront**

Wesley kept his eyes on the pokeball for a moment then shifted his brown hues until they met Lighning's. After a moment Lightning finally kicked off away from Wesley but there was a distinct voice he heard as the silver fox left.

"_Don't fail."_ The voice said.

"Wha…" Wesley said confused turning to look at Jason.

"Did you hear that?"

"Hear what?"

"That voice"

Jason looked down at Wesley then towards the moving Ninetails.

"Oh, yeah most people forget but Ninetails are prone to have physic abilities. Looks like Lightning just spoke to you."

"So your saying is this one," Wesley held up his pokeball "Will be able to talk to me like normal psychic pokemon?"

"It's a possibility, though it really depends on how you train them and if they can figure it out." Jason said now walking back to his pack he'd left on the ground. He reached inside pulling out a clear plastic bag full of little pokemon food squares. "Okay well let it out."

Wesley tossed the ball out on the ground as it popped open and a light flashed and the tiny Vulpix materialized right in front of him. She was sitting look straight up at Wesley.

"Uh hi?" The brown haired boy said to the red haired fox.

The Vuplix canted its head to the side still staring up at Wesley. Jason had already opened the bag and broken of a piece of the food square and handed it over.

"Here give her this. Best way to get to a young pokemon's heart"

Wesley took a knee getting closer to his pokemon handing over the small food. The tiny fox sniffed it before grabbing it from his hand and munching it down quickly. Jason laughed and handed him another one "Think she likes them."

Wesley offered the food to her again but this time she tried to take his finger with it. Her sharp little fangs sank into his index figure and he instantly recoiled.

"God damnit!" he said shaking his finger.

"Well at least you taught her how to bite right?" Jason said with another small laugh. The taller man walked around the Vuplix as she munched on the pokemon food and picked her up. The tiny red fox instantly started to squirm around.

"Well it's a girl." Jason said holding out Wesley's new pokemon for him "Congratulations."

Wesley scooped her up from under her front legs. She was so small and light that Wesley felt like he was going to break her. He moved to position her in a cradle in his arms and she seemed to stop moving around and laid there looking up at Wesley.

"At least she likes you already." Jason said walking back to his pack. "Let's get back to the jeep."

…

"Please hand over your pokeball and your trainer card and we will begin out registration" The nurse at the pokecenter asked. The preserve turned out to have much bigger building then he thought. There was a food court and a gift shop. He never realized how much of a tourist attraction this place was.

Once the nurse had Wesley's pokeball in hand she placed it in the tray and slide it into a machine. She hit a button and it started to hum.

"WHO CAUGHT A MOTHER FUCKING DRA-TI-NI!" Hugo voice rang loudly in the room. Everyone one was now staring at him, even the people in line behind Wesley waiting for their pokemon to be registered. The taller of the friends stood with the handing holding his pokeball stretched out. Obviously he didn't care who was looking and you could tell by the stupid toothy grin plastered on his face.

"What? Really?"

"Dude, the guy I got paired up with said he knew exactly where to find some at. There only allowed to let a few of them to be caught so we rushed over and luckily I was one of the last to get one." Hugo said excitedly.

"So you got what you wanted, A dragon pokemon."

"Damn right. What did you get?"

"Okay " The nurse behind the counter spoke. "Your Vulpix is two weeks old, female, she weighs six pounds."

"A Vulpix?" Hugo lifted a brow to his friend.

"Have I got a story for you."

The nurse opened the pokeball letting Wesley's pokemon appear on the on the table in front of them.

"She's a little small." Hugo said

"And that's going to be a problem." the nurse cut in.

Wesley started to pet his new pokemon on the top of the head. Her fur was soft and your hands seemed to glide along the reddish coat. His hand stopped when it was on the side of her stomach. He could feel a warming sensation coming from inside her and then he looked up at the nurse.

"Wait what?"

"Your pokemon is far too small to travel let alone battle. I'm afraid I can't approve her for being battle ready."

Both Wesley and his friend said "What?!"

"I'm sorry but she'll need at least three weeks before she'll able to go on a journey." The nurse said.

"But I can still leave just not battle right?" Wesley asked quickly.

"No, your pokemon is not fit to travel at all. I'm going to mark this on your file that this pokemon is not allowed to leave Helios. I'm sorry this is for your pokemon's safety, you aren't the first person this has happened to and those overzealous trainers got their young pokemon killed."

He wasn't going to leave? Wesley felt a knot tie in his stomach. An overwhelming sensation bubbled all around and suddenly the tension of the situation hit him. He was going to stay? That can't be. He had a plan, him and Hugo they were going to take on everything together.

Wesley spotted his friend staring at him knowing he was feeling the same thing. He scooped his pokemon in his arms. "Let's head back to the bus."

…

The atmosphere around town was lifted when the students returned to school with their pokemon. All the younger students wondered up to them looking at all variety of creatures that were now in front of them. A couple freshmen girl walked up and though Wesley's Vulpix was the cutest thing ever. Hugo got a lot of praises; he was the only one at the school that got a Dratini. Cecilia manage to get the little tiny bear cub pokemon she wanted, all though when she went to show it off it just seemed more interested in eating everything it could get its paws on. She spent most of the day trying to stop him from eating her backpack. As the school day ended they were told what time tomorrow to show up for their graduation.

After school the two friends spent their time at a park near the suburban area they lived at. Wesley sat in the grass staring at his Pokemon, the tiny Vulpix was sitting staring back at him. To Hugo it looked like they were having a very intense staring contest. Hugo pet along the scaly skin of his new dragon pokemon he decided to call Spock.

"Spock?" Wesley lifted and eyebrow at his friend.

"Yea man I want people to be confused when I call his name for a battle." Hugo answered.

"I suppose that makes sense."

"What about her?" Hugo pointed at Vulpix.

Wesley looked down at the little tiny red fox that was rolling around in the grass. "I don't know, not really good with names." There was a short pausing and Wesley could tell there was something plaguing Hugo's mind.

"You know you don't have to stay." Wesley said

"What? Oh dude I couldn't leave you behind."

"You know you really want to go."

"Wouldn't be any fun without you."

Even though their plan was being set back three weeks, they were still going to go together and that brought a smile to Wesley's face.

"That Vuplix is really small." A smoky voice from behind Wesley said.

They both turned towards the sound, a girl not much shorter then Wesley with long golden blonde strains of hair stood behind them. Pauline looked much like her mother with high cheek bones, soft pink lips, and bright blue eyes. A spitting image of her mother she even had the attitude to match. Pauline Amundson.

"What do you want Pauline?" Wesley he asked dryly. Wesley would have liked Pauline too, she was smart, gorgeous, and athletic but the deciding fact that made her enemy to most was in simple terms, she was a bitch.

"I just came over to see what pokemon you picked up." She now walked into view of them both. There was a little white puff cat walking next to her. Its body was a darkish blue color wrapped in white fur with a small blade for a tail and a sickle looking blade on the side of its face.

"How did you find an Absol, I didn't even think they existed in this region." Hugo said his mouth almost hitting the floor.

"There are only six on the preserve, and I have the seventh." She said a small grin playing on her lips. "I see you got a Dratini, better than that little thing"

Her finger extended to point at Wesley's Vulpix. That's when the red haired fox ran forward opening her mouth wide clamping down on Wesley's hand.

"GOD DAMNIT!" Wesley screamed and recoiled his bloodied hand. "Why do you keep doing that!"

Wesley raised his hand to smack the damn thing, but then after a moment he started examines the small bite. Meanwhile Pauline started to laugh. "God you really are pathetic aren't you? Can't even punish your pokemon."

"Hey why don't you go bother somebody else alright?" Hugo told her.

"Or what?" Pauline's blue hues challenged Hugo.

"Just fucking leave." Hugo said looking away from Pauline.

"God, you both shouldn't even be allowed to train." She said walking away from them her little white pokemon following her.

"I really hate that bitch." Hugo said arms crossed.

Wesley massaged his bitten hand glaring at the Vulpix who sat looking at him with her head cocked.

"What are you looking at?" he said to her.

Wesley and Hugo spent a couple more hours with their pokemon before they split to head home. Wesley's father was already out probably getting drunk. Wesley mother cooed loudly over the tiny little Vulpix. Wesley told him mom the news about him leaving which she didn't mind. He spent most of rest of the day in his room on the computer looking up names and reading facts about Vulpix.

"_At birth, Vulpix has only one white tail, which splits and grows more beautiful and warmer as it grows older." _he read aloud. Honestly he hadn't even notice that she had one tail. He read another passage about some Vulpix learning to use their physic abilities to talk to their trainers. He started to look up videos about the Ninetails named Lightning. He found videos from years ago of Lightning in the summer games. He didn't disappoint he was fast now but back then he was incredible. Turning in his chair looking at the Vulpix who was rolling around on his bed playing with, well whatever it was seeing.

"I hope you can get that fast." He said to her.

Wesley's pokemon rolled up right on his bed with a confused look on her face.

"Uhh are you okay?"

That's when she hiccupped spewing little tiny embers all over his blanket.

"Seriously, come on!" He said leaping from his chair sliding her off the bed to beat out the soon to be fire.

The smell of burning filled the room as the singed blanket sat in the corner. He collapsed on his bed and exhaled a long sigh. He closed his eyes thinking about how tomorrow was graduation day and how he and his friend were going to finally be done with school and in three weeks he would be off in the world. That's when he felt something light and warm climb onto his chest. He opened his eyes looking at the tiny pokemon circle and lay down on top of him. "Really? Entire bed and you…yea yep." he said not fighting with her anymore. For today she won.

The next morning Wesley felt a sharp pain enter his hand and jolted upward. Looking down at his the same hand she'd been biting since yesterday. It was now bleeding again. Vulpix was sitting on the bed letting out a small whimper at him.

"What?"

She whimpered again.

"Oh yea, food." He said looking over at his clock, 7:30 three hours from graduation. He got up and walked over to the pack of food he'd gotten the other week in anticipation for his first pokemon. Ripping the plastic off the top he took a pokemon food square and broke of a piece placing it on the bed. She happily pranced over to it and gobbled it up. He gave her a few more then scooped her up and took her down stairs with him.

Wesley's father was sitting at the table eating breakfast. He looked up and stared at the pokemon in his son's hand.

"What a pathetic looking thing." He said then went back to eating.

"Good morning to you too." He said setting Vulpix down on the floor. His mother had cooked some pancakes and bacon and set aside a plate for him. "Zane called for you earlier."

Wesley perked up at his mother who digging in the fridge for some grape juice.

"Did he leave a number this time?" Wesley said. This was far more interesting to him then his little pokemon now poking her snout in his leg probably wanting some more food or something. "Yeah I put it by the phone." His mother side closing the fridge.

Wesley took his plate and walked over to the in the living room looking at the note and dialed the number.

"Uh hello?" a voice said over the receiver.

"Zane! Hey it's me Wesley."

"Oh hey little bro, what's going on man I heard you got yourself a Vulpix."

Wesley retold the story of what happened on the preserve with Lightning.

"Part of me wants to call you an idiot, but the other part wants to say that's bad ass."

"Now that I think about it it's a pretty cool story to tell when I become a famous trainer."

"Yea yea okay little bro I gotta head out, you know pokemon need attending too."

They both said goodbyes and Wesley hung up. Zane was Wesley's older brother who worked as a pokemon breeder in Kanto. After he graduated from College he was pretty much hired on the spot and spent many years traveling around restoring population into areas that needed it.

Wesley didn't even realize that he hadn't eaten his breakfast yet but when he turned to the plate it was completely licked clean with the Vulpix sitting on the other side of it.

She licked her chops and Wesley just face palmed.

As 9:30 approached Wesley had gotten changed in his hat and gown and headed over to school. He had to keep his pokemon in her pokeball because she kept trying to tear his gown. The ceremony kicked off and when student's names were called they walked up people clapped and it continued until Wesley got up there. He looked out over the distance to see his mother cheering but his father was just sitting down looking completely bored, or drunk. At least he showed up.

After everything was finished they pictures started flashing family jumped and cheered and were happy. Wesley took pictures with Cecilia and Hugo and he saw Pauline all by herself and offered to take a picture with her. She just laughed but in the end decided to do it anyways. As tradition Sol Blvd was the street that led them out of town on to the path that took them toward their first badge. So all the people who were aspiring trainers after graduation day would show up there at 12 in the afternoon and see their friends or family off so this right now was the time that people said their goodbyes.

Hugo approached Wesley when he split from Pauline.

"Hey man." Hugo said rubbing his hands on the side of his gown.

"What's up."

"So ummm, yea So Cecilia was asking about us."

"Umm okay?" Wesley said lifting a brow at his friend.

"She wanted us to go with her and you know I was kind of wonder…"

Wesley cut him off. "It's okay."

"Really?" Hugo said.

"It's not often the girl of your dreams ask you to go on a long journey with her." Wesley gave his friend a smile. "But she knows I can't go right."

"Yeah I told her that." Hugo said his eye on the ground.

"Hey, it's okay, really." Wesley lied. He hated lying but he wanted his friend to be happy.

"Yeah?"

"Totally."

"Thanks Wes."

"Don't worry about it, you should head home and start getting packed. I'll see you off later."

Hugo nodded and went to rejoin his family. Wesley touched his pokeball through his gown. "Well I guess it's just you and me right?" He thought.

There were 32 kids who were leaving as trainers today. The rest were going to college some joining the military and a few like Wesley waiting to leave. Wesley saw Hugo dressed for the summer to come his pack in tow with his Dratini following behind him. Cecilia and her friend Jenny was with him. Wesley said his good bye to all them promising that in three week he would follow on their trail and that he would catch up eventually.

"It really isn't that long." Hugo reassured his friend. "You will totally catch up to us."

Wesley nodded his head. Cecilia reach forward wrapping her arms around him "Yea Wes, it's not gonna be as much fun without you along."

Hugo rolled his eyes but Wesley pretended his didn't notice.

"Yeah totally, plus this will give me a chance to work with Idris" Wesley said.

"Idris?" Hugo questioned

"It's the Hindi word for fiery, I think it suits her just fine."

"It sounds pretty." Cecillia said.

Wesley said his thanks and goodbyes and he watched his friend off.

The first week seemed to drag on. He would get a few texts from Hugo about the adventures he was having. He told Wesley how he caught a Wurple and that he and his two companions were hitting it off great. Though as the days past Hugo would wander into an area with less and less cell range which meant by the end of the week he got nothing. Meanwhile Wesley dealt with more biting and more and more object being set on fire. He started using a food as method for her to behave but then she just started to rip up his clothes when he wouldn't feed her.

By the second week Wesley hadn't gotten any text messages from anybody at all. His pokemon started to respond to her new name, Idris, but as the days passed she started to develop habit of bouncing on him when she wanted attention. Vulpix were high maintenance when it came to grooming. They loved it and its one of the way you are supposed to show affection. So between the walks he did with her to help her get stronger and the feeding and grooming and the late night clean up he did for his father, sleep was hard to come by. It also didn't help that every time he closed his eyes she broke something.

When the third and final week came upon Wesley he noticed that Idris had grown a lot. She was no longer the tiny little pup and was stronger too. She would play this game with Wesley where she would wait behind a corner to surprise, and tackle him to the ground. It was a Thursday night when Wesley walked through the front door after an evening stroll with his pokemon that he could instantly smell it. His father was home and was completely drunk. Idris ran off to somewhere in the living to go find something to play with when he walked down the hallway to the kitchen for some water. His dad appeared in the hallway before him.

"Home much longer are you going to waste space in this house boy?" The wretched stench of alcohol felt like it poisoned the air around him. Wesley looked up at his father and tried to move past him. After all this was normal to him.

"Not much longer. Can I get some water please?"

"No you may not." He growled.

"Okay dad, well then I'll be up in my room."

Wesley turned and started to walk down the hallway to the stairs when he heard. "What the fuck are you looking at?" Wesley quickly turned his head to see his father pull his leg back about to kick Idris. Wesley moved so fast without thinking he moved sliding his pokemon out of the way, taking the kick to the side of his leg.

"Dad what you doing!" Wesley gave his father a confused look.

That's when he was picked up and tossed against the wall and while the smaller boy crumpled to the floor.

"What the hell…" Wesley muttered as he felt the foot of his strike him on the side.

"You wanna protect that fucking thing so bad? Fine!" He yelled as another strike from his father hit him.

Idris started to growl as Wesley started to pick himself up looking his dad in the eyes. The pain swelled in his face as the rock hard fist connected with him and sent him plummeting to the floor again. He was now over his son with arm arched back sending another drunken rage strike at Wesley's face. The young boy wasn't so out of it that he moved his head out of the way that his father's fist which then connected with that hard wood floor. Wesley's father screamed a curse word and stormed off into the kitchen. Wesley felt Idris's wet nose touch him on the temple and started pulled himself to his feet and look at the arch way to the living room.

"Are you just going to stand there mom?" Wesley asked touching to his bleeding lip. Had she been there the whole time watching? She looked at Wesley and didn't say anything not even when his father reappeared in the hallway holding a kitchen knife. Wesley's hands went into the air.

"Whoa dad what are you doing?"

"I want you and your fucking pathetic animal out of my house."

Wesley took a step back from his advancing father.

"O…okay" The boy's eye were on the knife. "Just let me go get my things."

"Your things? The stuff I bought you? No, fuck no, you ungrateful piece of shit." He said backing his son into a wall. Wesley could feel the point of the knife in his chest. "I said I want you fucking out."

There was a loud crash as something small rushed through the front door. A pokemon? No it was person. Before the drunkard had a chance to react he was cracked over skull by a smaller fist sending him plummeting to the ground. A boot now stepped on his neck as bright blue eyes flicked themselves towards Wesley's mother.

"I would leave woman." Enid's cold tone escaped her past her pink lips. The mother looked Enid directly in the eyes. It must have been the killer instinct she saw in Amundson eyes because the look of fear she gave as she retreated made you think she saw a demon or something.

Enid looked down at Wesley's father with disgust then turned to the boy still backed into the wall and spoke in a light tone. "Wesley. Please go get your things."

Wesley didn't hesitate and jumped up each step bursting open the door to his room. He pulled everything he'd bought up until this point that he was saving for his journey with Hugo and started stuffing it in a bag. He grabbed the bag of pokemon food he was using to feed Idris with but some spilled all over the floor. Idris pranced over to the food on the floor and started munch on it while Wesley frantically packed clothes, toiletries, money he'd put away and anything else he could think of. Scooping Idris up, who just stared at the food on the floor with pout, he ran back down the stairs to see Enid still had his father pinned by the boot on his neck. Enid reached in her pocket and pulled out her keys tossing them to Wesley.

"My car is the black SUV go wait in it for me." Wesley followed instructions and closed his front door behind him.

What the fuck just happened?


	3. Chapter Three: It's a Dangerous Business

**Thank you if you've read this far means a lot to me. Please review after all I can't get better if you don't tell me where i'm flawed.  
**

**Thanks to my friend Kala who edits these.  
**

* * *

**Chapter 3: "It's a Dangerous Business, Frodo"**

Rain drops hit the wind shield of the SUV as they revved past parked cars. Wesley sat still in the passenger seat with Idris in his lap running his hands through her reddish fur. There was an awkward tension in the air as both Enid and the boy sat in silence. When the car halted at the red light Enid's voice spoke first.

"I spoke with Franklin, Cecelia's father." Her eyes still on the street light. "He agreed to let you stay with him until you can leave tomorrow."

His brown eyes found her face and questions flooded his mind. What was going on? How did she know something was wrong? Was she following him? Why did she plan ahead knowing he would need a place to stay?

"Thank you." He said. The questions were hanging on his lips but he hesitated. Enid seemed to read his face because she spoke before he could ask.

"During the war I had a lot of men under my command. It was my job to make sure they were all operating at one hundred percent. A lot of them had problem to hide. I've had my suspicions about your father for a while."

"Oh."

The light turned green and the SUV moved forward in the now down pour of water. The quiet had overtaken them again. Idris was now sleeping in his lap and Wesley could feel how warm her body was under her reddish coat. When she wasn't tearing things apart, or biting….or setting things on fire…or surprise attacking him, she was kind of peaceful to look at. He took a long drag of air into his lungs and exhaled slowly into a sigh.

"You'll be okay Wesley" she said

The car ride didn't last much longer and when they pulled into the drive way the head lights bounced off garage door but Wesley didn't seem to care he just stared at it. He sat absorbing the situation. Now that his adrenaline was gone his heart wasn't beating a million miles a minute he just felt mad, really mad. He wanted to destroy something, but on the surface he was just blank. He got out of the car feeling the cold breeze whip his face. His breath rose from mouth as he rushed around the car to avoid the rain. Idris was awake and already shivering so Wesley just hugged her closer to his chest. As they walked to the front door Wesley was greeted by Franklin and Rose Gonzales, Cecilia's parents. Wesley had been over at Cecilia's before a couple times but never to stay or anything over for a long so the situation felt awkward but once he passed the threshold into the warm house they didn't even both asking questions they just showed him to Cecilia's room, where he would be sleeping, so he could turn in for the night.

Cecilia's room wasn't anything really special, it more resembled his own… his old room. The walls were bland and white a computer desk, an empty dresser. A nice sized closet with boxes of clothes he assumed was Cecilia's that were being stored there. He avoided those. Other then that the only big differences were that she had her own bathroom and giant bed which Idris was now bouncing on. He took a warm showered then sprawled out on the bed. He made a mental note to thank Franklin and Rose Gonzales for being so kind to him. He pulled out his phone flicking it open to see that he missed a text message from Hugo.

_**Having a blast, won't be in cell range for a couples weeks**_

_**Were heading down path towards East Helios follow the road until you**_

_**Get to Waterfront villa. Hope you catch up, peace.**_

Wesley snapped his phone shut and throw it away from him rolling his eyes. It didn't seem like his friends were slowing down at all which put a sour looking on his features. Idris hopped up on the bed and was now hovering over Wesley's face. Her little tongue licked him on the cheek and he put his arms around her pulling her in closing his eyes to let the sleep come.

…

The next morning Wesley was awoken to a needy Idris bouncing on his back. His eyes groggily peeled open looking at the dim sunlight streaking through the blinds. Rolling over picking up Idris so she would settle down he got out of bed almost forgetting that this wasn't his room. He walked over to the pack that was placed by the door. He didn't even remember putting it there Cecilia's parents must have realized he'd forgotten it with Enid. He pulled the bag of pokemon food from before and gave a piece to Idris, who could eat full squares now, a piece.

Before he left the room he made sure to grab Idris's brush and place it in his back pocket. He made his way into the main room were Franklin and Rose were sitting.

"Umm, thank you."

Rose turned around pulling the end of her lips to show off a brilliant smile. "Oh hunny don't worry about it." Franklin looked up from his news paper taking his glasses off. They were an older looking couple but them seemed generally happy about the whole situation of him being there.

"Yeah it was no problem." He said setting the news paper down "Have a seat kiddo." He gestured to an empty one at the table.

"Anything you want for breakfast?" the older woman asked.

"I'm not really hungry" he lied. They were already being way to nice to him, burdening them anymore didn't feel right.

"Don't be silly." She said walking over with a plate of waffles, sausage, bacon and hash browns setting it down in front of him. "Eat up."

Wesley looked down at the food and felt the stomach pains of hunger strike him. Pulling a fork he started to eat. As he cleared his plate he looked down to see Idris staring up at him, so he handed her a piece of bacon which she gleefully took and munched down.

"I think they will let you leave today, she seems big enough" Franklin said.

"You think so?" Wesley questioned.

"Tracked many pokemon in my day, she looks big enough to handle herself."

Picking up Idris and placing her on his lap he pulled the brush from his pocket and started to glide it down her reddish mane all the way to her tail which she had three now.

"I've heard Cecilia mention that you were a tracker many times before but, what do they do?" Wesley asked while he watched his pokemon swaying in his lap happily while she got pampered.

"Well the war basically. Burned down forests usually tends to cause lots of pokemon to get out of dodge and set up shop elsewhere. When the New Celliance government formed they paid a bunch of us to go out and track down where they all moved to. "

"Was it bad?"

"Yeah, entire colonies of bug pokemon moved across the region. Birds were disappearing it was crazy the work was long and spent most of my time away from home but it paid well and at the time it was well worth it."

"So you traveled all over then?" Wesley eyes perked up.

"Oh yeah, I've pretty much walked to the other side and back, which reminds me. I have a few copies of…" He said reaching his hand into a pocket pulling out a small black chip.

"A memory card?"

"It's all the data I collected over the years of my travel, when they clear your little pokemon over there they will give you your Pokedex. You put this in and it will upload all you need to know, Which pokemon are located where and all sorts of added on stuff I've seen out there."

Wesley stopped brushing for a moment and looked at the ground.

"Thank you so much for all of this." He muttered.

"Hey I knew your dad during the war; it was hard on a lot of us. I'm sorry he had to take it out on you but you know, you're gonna be on your way soon. So you know do something about it."

"Oh um what?" Wesley looked up at him.

"You know get out there and you make the best of this situation."

Wesley nodded his head "Thank you again."

"Don't mention it. Now I have the day off so if you want a ride to the preserve to get her checked out. It opens in about an hour."

"Really? You'll take me!" Wesley almost shouted his mood going 180. He'd been dreading the fact for the past three weeks about walking all the way to the preserve from his house.

…

An hour later Wesley had sorted through everything he managed to grab. He had three sets of clothes, some toothpaste, his toothbrush, and deodorant, face wash, a first aid kit, all of Idris's pampering tools and supplies for his pokemon a rolled up sleeping bag with 300 dollars in cash in his wallet. With his pack inside the trunk of Franklin's Sedan they were on the road. Idris spent most of the time in the back seat looking at everything out in the big bad world while Franklin told stories about his adventures. As they pulled up the Preserve the atmosphere didn't seem so hectic. There were cars filling up the parking lot of people who were visiting but when Wesley walked into the main open room with all the hanging advertisements and it was empty. After they cleared with the front desk Wesley walked to where the pokecenter was when he noticed a familiar face at the desk. Franklin had walked off to go to the gift shops.

"Hey Jason." Wesley said with Idris in tow.

"Wesley! Hey what's up?" Jason's tone grew excited from the bored look he had. Wesley lifted up Idris who was just acting like dead weight in protest of not being allowed to walk about in the building.

"Hey she's gotten a lot bigger, just put in her pokeball and hand it over with your trainer card."

Wesley did then he leaned on the counter while Jason loaded Idris's pokeball into the machine. Franklin returns with a plastic bag full of dry food and canned food.

"I figured you'd forgotten." He said with a smile on his features.

Wesley eyes darted to the ground feeling that awkward sensation run through his body. Why did he keep doing this to him?

"Thank you." He muttered.

"Wesley I said it fine." he handed over the plastic bag.

"Well, she's not as big as we would like her but she's big enough to travel and fight." Jason said from behind the computer. "So hold on let me grab you a pokedex."

A minute later Jason handed back his trainer card and pokeball and also a black tablet. It was bigger than a normal tablet cell phone but smaller than an Ipad. It fit the length of his hand as he held it.

"Pretty advanced stuff, so basically it's got everything you need programmed in. PC uplinks, apps, maps, all data about pokemon, to get the scan to work just hold it up let it scan but most people just take pictures because it works just the same. There is also a memory card port on the side just in case you want to buy one of the prepaid data card. So with that, good luck Wesley."

Wesley smiled up at Jason and then turned to Franklin who asked if he was ready. He nodded and they both took a trip back to his car.

…

Sol blvd was empty of accept for Franklin and to Wesley's surprise Enid. As Franklin said his goodbye he gave Wesley his phone number and told him to call if he needed anything. Enid just stared at Wesley for a good long time before she finally parted her lips.

"I've got my chips invested in you kid, Don't fail."

Then she got back into her car and left and Wesley was alone with Idris. He turned down look at that line the separated him in the city and him out. This was the farthest he would have ever been outside of Helios. He looked down at his pokemon who was now looking back up at him.

"Let's make a promise, when we come back we won't need anybody's help." But Idris just cocked her head to the side and Wesley smiled.

Walking along the road with the pack got heavy quickly and he kept stopping every hour or so just to rest his back which was growing sore quickly. Taking cool sips of water as he took a break he pulled out his brand new pokedex clicking the map on it. The city of Helios was located on the south west coast of the country sitting about an hour's drive from the beach. He was heading away from that area towards on the road that would take him through the forest on his way to East Helios the path that his friend Hugo and Cecilia had taken.

"How are you not tired?" he sighed as he reached for a square in his pack tossing it to her. She ran up to grabbed in her mouth and munching it up quickly. She took off again growling at bush then jumping to attack it. After a few minutes he slugged his pack on again and started down the road. Following in Hugo's footsteps seemed good as a plan as any.

As the hours past he finally made it to a tree line heading into a forest. It only a couple hours till it was dark but Wesley decided to press on anyways. Idris's attitude changed once they were into the forest. They started to see cluster of Weedles and Wurmples. Spider pokemon hung from trees using those eyes to follow Wesley as they walked by. Idris stuck close to Wesley's leg as they kept walking. They saw a sign that said a camp site just two miles away. The path veered off to the side heading away from the main road but a camp site was better off than sleeping on the ground alone.

The sun started to grow dim and Wesley started to worry a little he walked for what seemed like two miles but no camp site. That's when he saw another boy passing by him. He didn't look any older then Wesley.

"Hey is the camp site this way?"

The boy sporting blonde hair blue eyes seemed to snap out of his trance and looked at Wesley for a moment. "Oh yeah, it's not that far" His eye flicked down at Idris then back up to Wesley "Hey are you new too? Do you want to battle?"

Wesley thought about this for a moment, He hadn't really taught his Vulpix anything about fighting; it was mostly things like not setting things on fire when she got mad at it. Or not biting his hand when she wanted attention. She would have to learn sooner or later right?

"Yea sure."

"GREAT!" he yelled

They both pulled off the path way into a nice smooth area of grass. Wesley pointed at the ground where he wanted Idris to stand to wait for the fight.

"All right, Let's do this Go! Paras!" the blonde boy yelled. Sending out his reddish coconut-crab looking thing with a mushrooms on its back.

"Umm, yea Idris go" Wesley said which she would just stare at him awkwardly. Wesley just wanted to face palm. Idris look at the Paras in front of her and prance over to it but before she could investigate it. "Use Scratch Paras!" the boy called.

The boy's pokemon obeyed and arched its claw slashing at the gleeful fox. She yelped as the attack struck her on the face and Idris immediate retreated back towards Wesley.

"No, no go back! Use Tackle!" Wesley shouted towards her. Idris came to a halt right in front of him. "You know tackle like you do to me!" Idris seemed to catch on because she turned around and started to rush for the Paras. The however crab pokemon saw this coming and side stepped her and with his owners command he used his claws to strike Idris on her side. The tiny Vulpix then yelped again and ran away again from its attacker.

"What kind of battle is this." The boy said irritable.

"She's new to this." He called to the boy. "Idris, if you don't turn around and fight I will not brush you ever again." Idris was about to retreat behind a bush when she came to another stop and looked at Wesley. She turned to Paras and started to rush at him growling. The Paras tried to Scratch her again but she leaped to the side using her hind legs to push of crashing he head right into the enemy pokemon. The Paras was knocked a few back from the impact but kept its footing.

"Use Ember!" Wesley commanded. Idris looked back at Wesley with a confused look. "You know like what you do to my blankets." That seemed to catch her understanding because she turned at the Paris and started to spew time little flames from her mouth around the little insect.

"Dodge it! Use stun spore!" the boy called but it was too late the flame already engulfed his little bug pokemon. Idris had the elemental advantage and that's the only reason when the Paras finally got away from the flame it had little burns all over its body that it couldn't move. He won by dumb luck and he knew it.

"Awh damn. She's so small I didn't think she could use fire moves yet." He said returning his pokemon to its pokeball. He walked over to Wesley.

"Your pokemon is weird."

"Tell me about it." They both looked down at Idris who was looking at the spot where Paras disappeared confused.

"Well here you go." He said handing Wesley a 10 dollar bill. He'd almost forgotten standard bets between trainers were 10 dollars, but Wesley didn't even mention anything.

"But I -."

"Don't worry about it, I figured you forgot. I did so my first battle and the ass just walked off."

"Well thanks." Wesley said looking down at the money in his hands.

"Yeah, no problem. Anyways you are pretty close to the camp grounds." He waved and took off down the path.

He wasn't wrong the camp site was pretty close and when they arrived the dark had overtaken them and lamp lights from tent were scattered all over the camp grounds. Wesley passed by a bunch of tents until he was at a cable with a New Celliance military patrol men sitting in a chair outside. The cabin looked converted into camping supply store. Wesley saw another military person sitting at the counter. It was 10 dollars to stay the night but Wesley was interested in the Tents sitting on the shelves on the side. Down 110 bucks later he walked out of the store with his new tent in tow. He walked over to the site he was told he could set up shop. The one person tent wasn't so hard to figure out but it took him a good ten minutes to get it sorted out. He had to apologize to other campers who unzipped their tents to glare at him as he made to much noise. The light bluish tent was big enough to fit Wesley body length just fine and once inside using a small flash light for his source of light he started to brush Idris who relaxed in his lap accepting the pampering.

…

The next morning Wesley awoke to a wet nose poking him to get up. Idris was sitting by the pack when he sat up which meant she was hungry. Wesley snacked on some dried jerky while Idris ate her food. After wards he started to brush her again. When he exited the tent people were already out an about, trainers of all ages were talking, trading, battling.

"Oh wow a Vulpix, how did you manage to get one of those? They aren't even on the west coast."

Wesley rubbed the sleep from his eyes and yawned as he looked over at the random black haired boy who looked to be new as him.

"Oh yeah."

"Do you wanna trade?"

"What? No." Wesley said giving the kid a weird look

"Really I got Ponyta I'll trade you for her."

"No." Wesley said flatly.

"That sucks, I've been looking for a great fire team. "the boy said. "I'm Issac!"

"Hello." Wesley awkwardly scratched his head. "Wesley"

"Is she your only pokemon?"

"Yeah."

"Makes sense why you wouldn't even think twice. How did you get her?"

Wesley just stared at the boy, People around this area all would have went to the Helios preserve.

"Didn't you get yours from around here?"

"What? No no no!" Issac said.

"I'm 19, I've been at this for a while, I've been hunting down Charmanders I've heard a rumor that they exist over here."

"You're 19? Really?" Wesley looked shocked. "You don't look much older than 16."

"I get that a lot, people think I'm new and I use my Chandelure on them and they shit bricks, but I need the fire pokemon for Jupiter City."

"Isn't that where the forest pokemon gym leader is?"

"It's my final badge and they don't go easy on you at that level. They really use their best on you." He said nonchalantly "I have to badge by the end of the year though."

"Why?" Wesley asked

"World Championships are in two years. You need at least all nine badges and have competed in the summer or winter games just to sign up."

"Wow, that's incredible."

"To be honest, it's a challenging I'm very slow I've been our here for almost 4 years and that's double the amount of time then most who are skilled enough. I dunno I just take my time I guess."

"I'm sure you'll get there." Wesley said trying to be nice, but really what else was he going to say.

"Do you wanna battle? I mean I found some Mankey a few days back and I couldn't resist so she's pretty new."

Wesley looked down at Idris who was walking around sniffing everything she could explore. He really didn't want to put here through that after his rather embarrassing win but she wouldn't get better if he didn't practice with her.

"Sure, just let me pack up real quick."

Wesley packed his new tent up and with his pack and finally met up with Isaac over at this flat piece of land acting as their battle ground.. "So how about 20 bucks?" he asked Wesley as he approached.

"Sounds good." He said as he learned down towards Idris and started to whisper. "Okay just like yesterday alright?" he said giving her a tap out into the battle field towards the pig monkey pokemon known as Mankey which was already out on the field.

"Alright let get this started" Isaac shouted "Mankey low kick!"

"Idris get out of the way and tackle him!" Wesley quickly countered

The hybrid monkey pokemon was on the move already and dipped his leg low but Idris, who had prefect bouncing from jumping on Wesley all the time, jumped over the attack and tried to throw her weight into the Mankey.

"Grab her and throw her!" Isaac said

The Mankey caught Idris's tiny frame and hurled as hard it could sending the reddish fox plummeting to the ground. Idris hit the ground but rolled out of any real damage but in a few short moments the Mankey was on top of her and sent a punch striking her in the face which then knocked her back on the ground.

"Shit!" Wesley muttered to himself. "Idris Ember!" tiny little flames poured from her mouth making the Mankey started to dance as his fur caught fire.

"Tackle him!" Wesley shouted. Idris went in for the attack but was quickly shut down by a Karate Chop striking her on the top of the head sending her to the ground. The Mankey was still on fire but with idris now stunned on the ground he pat out the flames.

"Great work Mankey, Low Kick!"

The monkey went for the kick hitting Idris sending her backwards to bounce off the ground. Wesley could see her try to stand up but it was clear she was injured.

"Go for the knock out Mankey! Karate Chop!"

Wesley felt terror shudder through his body, he realize that he alone had done this. She was hurt and whimpering and it was his fault. Why would he do that to her?

The brown eyes of the tiny red fox looked at her trainer. The amount of worry on his face made her whimper, when she saw him move forward to protect like he did that Flareon, something inside her brain clicked.

There was a reverberating sound that imitated rocks crashing into each other. Idris was on her feet glaring down the Mankey, he didn't hit her but what he did hit was a solid purple tinted barrier. Both the two trainers stared at what they saw. The Mankey recoiled in pain holding his hand.

"Okay Idris, ember again! Then take him down!" Idris blew tiny flames all over the Mankey causing him to scream in pain from his fur being ignited again then was taken to the ground by the tiny little fox. Mankey rolled around in pain from all the fire that he didn't notice Idris came around for another attack jumping and latching her tiny fangs into torso of the Mankey sending it down again. Isaac's pokemon finally rolled onto its stomach and laid there.

"Well that was different." Isaac said pulling out his pokeball and in a beam of light returned his pokemon.

Issac handed over the money and his pokedex lifting the camera end towards Idris and letting it scan.

"_Vulpix usually have a friendly, if not spoiled, temperament. In the wild, Vulpix will feign injury to escape from predators that are more powerful. They are mostly considered a fire pokemon but some have the ability to learn psychic or ghost type moves that is completely on the trainer and the parents of the Vulpix They can evolve into a Ninetails by one of two ways By a firestone or through experience maturity and age. Would you like to know more?" _The robotic female voice said from the pokedex tablet.

"Well Wesley it was fun." Issac said.

"Hey maybe I can help you out" Wesley said pulling out his own pokedex. He scrolled to the name Charmander on the table and hit the button and out popped detail information about their whereabouts in particular areas. "It looks like you'll find some Charmander about twelve miles northwest of here. They are at the base of the mountain. "

"How do you know that?" asked Isaac.

"I have a friend whose father was a tracker; he gave me all kind of useful information." Wesley said still reading the tablet. "It also says that this particular nest is docile unless provoked. If you want a hatchling that you need to offer the mother something or try and find an older one off on its own."

Wesley showed Isaac the location on the tablet "Wow I was told a completely different area." He said.

"Here." Isaac said opening a side pocket to his pack pulling out 2 black batteries for a pokedex. "You wanna carry extra you never know when you need them." He extended them to Wesley.

"Really?"

"Yeah take them, I have six, like I said you never know."

Wesley took the gift even if he didn't want to but those would really come in handy and he didn't want to be stranded out in the wild all lost. Wesley looked down at Idris who was sitting with a smile on her face after the battle she just won. He reached down to pet her but she winced. He forgot she took a hard hit to the head. After spraying a potion her body and giving her a brush they were on the road again.


	4. Chapter Four: Meeting an Equal

**So for those who actually read these tank you for getting this far! Anyways my friend Kala has been out sick so i'm going to just post this wonderful errors and all. Sorry if there a lot I re read this over and over again to make sure but i'm not very good at the editing part. So enjoy anyways and leave a review if you enjoy it.  
**

* * *

**Chapter 4: Meeting an Equal **

Wesley had been traveling two weeks since he left his home. He soon quickly found out that there were a lot of inconveniences to being a trainer. First they were already in June and the temperatures were on the rise. Having clean clothes was starting to be an issue since he had to wash them in any river he could find. He would scrub them and then let them dry usually taking a whole day of traveling away from him. He was good at saving his food but he was slowly starting to run out, However Idris was getting stronger and was catching her own food now. Although she stilled loved eating pokesquares while she was getting brushed in the morning.

Ever since she used the barrier ability Wesley was trying to get her to do it over again. She could do it , mostly but it was really weak not like before when it blocked the Mankey attack. Wesley battled anything he could be it a pokemon by its self or a wandering trainer. Idris was getting smarter but she was losing more then she was winning which brought a sour look to Wesley face because he kept those images of Lightning fresh in his brain so he knew what she could become. Wesley saw what potential she had so he pushed her. Every day while they had downtime he was practicing her barrier move by tossing rocks and letting her block them. He would also try to get her to run more to help boost her speed but she wouldn't run unless he did and doing that with all the gear wasn't going to happen, however leaving it wasn't really an opinion much either.

He hadn't put much thought in catching another pokemon either, after all the hassle he had with Idris it just seemed like more work then he wanted on his plate but he did see all kinds of spices roaming about in the forest. Nothing just seemed to click so for now he was content with having Idris who was enough of a handful in itself.

Wesley had his map pulled up on his pokedex and he sighed.

"We are still two days away from East Helios" he said to Idris who resting in a nice patch of soft grass. He felt his phone buzz in his pocket, thankfully due to the lack of cell range he hadn't receive phone calls or texts for a while but being so close to East Helios he must have been getting a single. Flipping the phone open he saw that the battery was getting dangerously low but there was something he didn't expect.

"Hello Hugo?" Wesley answered.

"Wes? WES! Hey man, dude it's been forever."

"Yeah, hey what's going on"

"Dude we made it to Waterfront Villa I just signed up for my first official Gym Match. Cecilia and Jenny tried to sign up but they wouldn't let her with only two pokemon." Said Hugo

"Wait so you have three now?"

"Yeah I have my Dratini, my Cascoon, and my Elekid"

"Where in the world did you find an Elekid"

"Dude Cecilia's father was tracker remember, had tons of useful info on where to find awesome pokemon."

"That's awesome" said Wesley with a general smile on his face. Except for the trainers he passed by he didn't really get any conversation, he forgot how much he missed talking to his friend.

"What about you? Hows Iris, or whatever you called her."

"Idris, and she's doing ok-" that when the phone started to beep. "Hey I have to go phone is dying I'm not far from East Helios I'll call you back later."

"Okay, I'll be here in waterfront for a while so I'll have service. Later!"

Wesley quickly snapped the phone shut and turned it off saving what little battery he had just in case. He looked down at Idris who was sleeping still. Looking at the time on his pokedex he was a little after noon so lunch sounded good about now. Opening his pack pulling out a can of spagettios he made a makeshift fire pit and using some match, because he didn't want to wake Idris, to start a small fire.

Idris jumped awake with her ears perked. She looked off in the distance towards some bushes. She always did this when she sense a pokemon or a trainer coming. But he stood up looking around for a sharp stick just in case. A boy looking 16 or 17 popped out from behind the bush and just stared at Wesley for a moment. He had long light brown hair that seemed to fluff out and surround his face. His cheek bones sat high while a pair of black square glasses sat in front of a pair of brown eyes. He was taller than Wesley but not by much but had a lanky build to him. They both just stared at each other for a time.

"What's up?" he said finally

"Umm lunch?" Wesley pointed down at his can which now boiling red liquid over the side. He quickly moved it off the fire setting it on a rock nearby and moved his hand away quickly then shaking off the heat. The boy walked further out behind the bush and was carrying a pack much like Wesley's only he had a bow slung around his arm with a few arrows sticking out of his pack. A small little steel colored rock thing moved behind him. It was an Aron.

"Cool mind if I join you?" he said pulling his pack off already. "

"O..okay?" Wesley said with his eyebrow lifted.

The light brown haired teen sat down on the other side of the fire pulling out a can of raviolis for himself, Wesley just ate his food in quiet while Idris sat next to him. The boy pulled out little tiny little bowl and when he food was done he poured it in the bowl and handed the can to his little pokemon. The Aron started to chew on the can happily.

"Would you like mine?" Wesley said holding it out his empty can.

"Yeah thanks." He said reaching forward it from Wesley and then put it next to his steel pokemon. The Aron looked between both can confused on which one it wanted to eat first, in the end he hugged both of them to his chest and started to munch on both of them.

"He really needs Iron to help him develop his armor. It why he is smaller than normal "The teen looked at his pokemon. "but you don't really find that around here"

"And all I have to deal with is brushing her like 8 times a day."Wesley told him.

The stranger looked at Idris then to his pokemon. She was rolling around in some grass getting all kinds of stuff tangled up in her fur."Yeah I think I'll my chance with him, I can feel my patience wearing down just looking at her."

Wesley cocked a smile and laughed. "If only you knew." His tone lightening up.

"I'm Chris." He said leaning over with his hand extended.

"Wesley" he said enclosing his hand around the newcomer and giving it a shake. They both retreated to their sides of the fire.

"Where you headed to Chris?"

"I'm trying to find me a Poliwag." Chris said taking a bike from his heated canned food.

"I don't think I've seen any at all around here." Wesley told him.

"I've been looking for weeks, you know the only place I've traveled to is East Helios."

"Where are you from?"

"Seaside Cove"

"That's like by Waterfront Villa" Wesley said

"I really wanted that Poilwag." Chris said with a shrug

Wesley dipped his hands into his pocket pulling out his pokedex. "I think I can help." He started to do a search for Poliwags on his map.

"There seems be some not too far from here, a couple hours at most." He said showing the screen side of the tablet showing off the details.

"Wow, all that searching and it turns out you were answer all along." Chris shook his head with a small laugh.

Chris took out a paper map. "My pokedex kept dying so I got this." He looked between Wesley's pokedex and his map and marked down the location.

"Well Wesley it was nice to meet you, but I'm on a mission. Catch you later."

Wesley's eyes were still on the tablet he could see the town of East Helios so very close. Clean clothes, a hot shower, better food but then he looked at where the Poliwags were located then back up to Chris.

"Want some company?" Wesley asked.

Chris canted his head to the side then nodded "You know, that's sounds like a good Idea. There only so much I can take from talking to my pokemon who won't talk back."

Wesley followed the same actions as Chris and looked at Idris then back to Chris "I know what you mean."

Wesley got his stuff together and the two boy set off down the path. They started to tell stories of their adventure so far. Chris was impressed that Idris could use barrier but once he realize how needy of a pokemon she really was he changed his tune quickly. Chris told Wesley about how he got his Aron at the same time Wesley got Idris on the preserve and how his little pokemom was small but tough as hell.

The area the map lead them didn't have any paths and the brushes started to get thick and wild feral Ratata jumped out of the bush running at them, Idris jumped behind Wesley like a coward but Chris, who had his bow, shot it in the head and thats when he told Wesley that he learned to hunt by his father. Wesley avoided any conversation that had to do with his family only changing the subject to Enid who seem way more fascinating.

They reached a river bed and followed it up stream when they found the trees opened up at the top letting the sun bare down on them and this large rock formation spitting water over the top into a water fall that fell into a rather big body of water that connected with the river. There were Poliwags, Lotads, Buizels, an assortment of fish pokemon all lounging around in the water.

"Holy shit." Chris muttered. As they both put down their packs looking around at the scene. Before Wesley could say anything Chris ran off towards a group of Poliwags and Poliwhirls (Poliwags evolved form) with his pokemon scurrying behind him. Wesley watched as Chris went to battle with one of the Poliwags who were sitting in a bed of grass. The Poliwag had the element advantage being a water type, but Chris's Aron seemed to take the hits like a champ.

On his trainers command Aron ran forward crashing it thick steel skull into the body of the Tadpole pokemon. It went airborn for a moment then smacked into the ground and slide along the grass. Aron growled at the Poliwag as it slowly got back to its feet, Poliwag intimidated by the growl turned its back to Aron who ran for another tackle sinking its metal teeth into the Poliwag. Wesley witnessed how vicious Chris's first pokemon was and he wondered if Idris could take him in a fight. Chris tossed out a pokeball at the Poliwag, which then the pokemon burst into a ball of light and zoomed inside the pokeball. The pokeball shook for a moment then it sat still on the ground.

"YEAH BABY!" Chris shouted off in the distance. He came jogging up to Wesley holding out the pokeball, Aron running up behind with a gratified smile on its face.

"So why did you want a Poliwag so bad?" Wesley asked.

"My dad's has a Politoad and he's pretty tough, made a bet with him that I could train a stronger one." Chris said.

"You spent all this time in the other direction for a bet?"

"I'm stubborn like that."

"I've noticed."

Chris laughed as he held the Poliwag's pokeball in hand. "Well better let it out don't want it to go stir crazy. You know how pokemon on when they are stuck in a pokeball for the first time."

But Wesley didn't, he nearly always kept Idris outside of her pokeball and only put her in the ball after battles when she needed rest. Chris tossed the pokeball to the ground a bright light flashed and the bluish tadpole pokemon appeared on the floor. It immediately tried to wobble away from Chris but it just kept falling over.

Chris who had already gotten a piece of pokemon food chase after his new pokemon.

"Hey hey, don't run! Here eat this!" He said thrusting the pokesquare in its face. The Poliwag made a little squeal and tried to run away again and tripped falling over.

Wesley and Idris watched the scene laughing but eventually Chris got the pokemon to eat the food and it seemed to calm down.

Wesley turned his attention to a bunch of tiny squeaking sounds as a bunch of orange fured sea weasels ran in a cluster jumping on the rock formation all the way to the top where the beginning of the waterfall was spewing out of the side. Wesley took out his Pokedex and zoomed in on the group letting it scan.

"_Buizels are mammal like pokemon that have collar around its neck that can inflate as the pokemon breaths in that can be used a floatation device. All though Beizels are commonly mistaken for small rodent pokemon but they have characteristics of water type pokemon. They have one blue fin on each of its arms and two tails that act like a propeller in the water. Some Beizels have been known to fly with their tail. Would you like to know more?" _The female voice of the Pokedex said.

The group of Buizels took a running jump and each on the then propelled themselves through the air over both Chris and Wesley heads, except for one that landed not far off. Wesley and Idris both stared at it and it turned taking a fight stance and growled at them. It turned and jumping back on the formation to try again, but this time he didn't get very far in fact it seemed like he got tired out and plummeted. Hitting the grass he popped up again and ran right back up the rocks. Wesley was impressed the little thing just wouldn't give up and that's when it landed again Wesley turned to his pokemon.

"Go get him Idris." Wesley said standing. Idris leaped from her spot and went for a tackle on the Sea weasels, but when it stood eyeing the little fox running for it, The Buizel stood it ground putting his arms up like he was in a boxing match. When Idris approached it swung for the fences decking Idris's right in the face. Idris who recoiled instantly was stunned for a moment by the hit.

"Alright Idris gotta move faster, Quick Attack!" Idris shook herself awake and went for a running take down but when the Buizel went for another punch Idris got the better of him strafing off the side and coming around his back side throwing her weight into him. The Buizel hit the ground and on Wesley's command she jumped on him latching her teeth into him. The Buizel screamed as it kicks its legs to get Idris of, finally it open its mouth spewing a stream of water. The Water Gun hit Idris at such a close range that she let go of the orange weasel and cried in discomfort. So it knows water attacks? Got to make sure not to take to many hits from it.

The Buizel shot another Water Gun move at Idris "Barrier!" Wesley called.

The purple tinted shield formed its self in front of the red coated fox. The water dispersed along the edge for sometime but that barrier broke down shattering and Idris getting hit directly by the water attack. Being flung back the tiny fox leaped to her feet again.

"damn." Wesley said hoping to himself the barrier would hold. "Ember!"

Idris blew flame all around the Buizel but its damp fur wasn't going to catch on fire but it did how make a run for the water.

"Don't let it get to water, TAKE DOWN!" Idris took to a sprint catching the Weasel right before it reached the threshold of the water striking it hard sending it flying in the air. As the pokemon started its decent to the ground.

"Finish it Idris!" Wesley called out and in a flash Idris was on the move. Before the Buizel had a chance to recover from the fall Idris landed an attack right in its chest sending it to the ground hurt.

"Nows my cha-" Wesley said reaching to his belt. He didn't have a belt…. That's when he realized he left it at home.

"Oh, SHIT!" he yelled running back to his pack quickly tossing stuff around until he found an empty pokeball.

Chris was who was watching the battle was now on the floor laughing holding his gut.

Wesley tossed the ball at the barley moving Buizel and in a glow of light it vanished and the ball appeared shaking on the floor for a moment before it sat still.

Chris was still laughing as Wesley returned with his pokeball in hand sighing.

…

It was later in the day Wesley had pulled his Buizel out who was still beat up a little but after a potion and some food it started moving around. Chris spent all day trying to get his Poliwag not to run away, not that it could get far being so awkward on its feet. Wesley looked at the time on the Pokedex and sighed.

"I think, well if I leave now I can make it to East Helios in two days." Wesley said.

Chris looked up from trying to hold the Poliwag still on its feet.

"Oh you're leaving?"

"I need to head back to town soon; I'm running low on well… everything."

"I think I'm going to stick around here for a few days, maybe I'll see you at Waterfront." Chris said

Wesley nodded his head. "It was nice to meet you man."

"Yeah, see you around."

Wesley packed his things and return Biuzel to his pokeball and waved taking off towards the town. It was nice hanging out with somebody who seemed generally cool, but he needed to get moving sooner or later he himself was going to run out of food. Not to mention he didn't have summer time clothes and treading around in pants this whole time was really wearing on him.

Wesley walked at a quick pace trying to get as much distance before it got so dark. When he stopped the rest he let the Buziel out of its pokeball and watched it run around exploring everything. He wandered up to Idris and started to sniff her than standing up on its legs and pushed her over. Idris who feel over looked up at him and blinked. She then pounced on him as the two started to play. Wesley's face went deadpan. When he was back on the move Biuzel just wanted to play so Wesley had to return him to his pokeball, but after a while he let him out again and he just trotted along with both of them. It was dark when Wesley found the trail again and he decided to set up camp.

He ate a quick snack and tried to groom Buizel but he wasn't having it. He screeched at the contraption known as a brush and ran off to go lounge by the fire keeping one eye glued on Wesley's torture device. So he just cleaned Idris who was happier than ever to get brushed. Decided to turn in early so he could use all day to travel tomorrow he laid on top of his sleeping bag With Idris snuggled up next with the Buizel who didn't like the idea of being in the tent was put in his pokeball.

It was a couple of hours later when Wesley's eyes popped open at the sound of Idris growling, he was still half asleep and in the dark the only thing he could see was the dim light of the embers from his dying fire.

"what is-" he cleared his voice "What is it?"

He unzipped the tent and Idris immediately bolted outside the tent run around the tent. Wesley followed her trying not to let panic take him over. What did she sense? There was a loud screech of a bird from above them and with a little bit of moonlight they had Wesley saw something dive at Idris. Wesley was the one that moved first diving and grabbing a hold of Idris and rolling away. Standing up quickly now face to face with massive bird, he had also known Fearow to be big but this one seemed massive.

"Why would go a do a thing like that?" A voice said from behind Wesley. When he turned around a young man standing there dressed in a suit. It was a stylish looking suit equipped with a fedora and an over coat. The boy hat was tipped forward covering his face but that voice. Wracking his brain for a connection and when it finally hit him his heart hit the ceiling. Isaac. There was no way in hell Idris could beat that giant bird and his newest pokemon wouldn't be much help either. He started to back away from both of the bird and boy, maybe he could make a run for it in the woods he would lose all his things but at least he would be alive. The massive Fearow screeched an ear piercing sound and that's when Wesley felt something hit him to the ground from behind. He could feel the weight of two other people pin him down face first in the dirt. Idris had fallen from his hands but he couldn't see her.

"Fearow, Take the Vulpix." Issac said.

Wesley's eyes went wide

"You mother fucker! I'll KILL YOU!" he struggled under the weight not one buy two other black tuxedo men pinning him down.

The Fearow moved quickly approaching on its prey.

"BARRIER" Wesley breathed from the weight on him.

The Drill Peck aimed for Idris hit something solid causing the bird to rebound away from the tiny fox and screech in pain.

"Now there it is again" Isaac said with a boyish laugh. "That's what I wanted to see, Oh Welsey how your little fox impressed me."

"NOW RUN!" Wesley pleaded with his pokemon he couldn't see, but Idris stood her ground with her snout scrunched up in a snarl. Wesley face immediately hit the hard earth as a hand force him into it. Blood trickled from his nose while trying to get some room to wiggle free. Fearow recovered and was now on the attack and Wesley's eye started to water. Whoever this Isaac is wanted his pokemon that bad that he would attack him like this? Why? That gaping hole of loss already stricken him as he knew Idris couldn't defend herself forever and he was helpless to stop it.

The Fearow attacked Idris again this time causing the Barrier to shatter but before its beak could pierce the little fox an arrow whizzing through the air hit the giant bird in the neck. The Fearow flailed lashing around hitting trees and almost knocking its Isaac over.

"wha..WHAT THE FUCK! WHO WAS THAT" Isaac screamed turning towards the dark. "SHOW YOUR SELF, DO YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE FUCKING WITH!" Another arrow zoomed past his head striking the Fearow in its chest. The Fearow howled in agony and spreading its wings taking to the sky.

"HEY, COME BACK HERE!" Issac looked up screaming at the bird and that's when somebody ran up behind took him to the ground. Chris straddled his chest bring his fist up and clubbed Issac in the face. One of the guys holding Wesley down got off him and ran over tossing Chris off.

Wesley wiggled this time managing to roll enough to gain some leverage pulling him arms free he tossed his elbow behind him striking the guy in the temple. Wesley was free, quickly getting on top of the person he just knocked down he pulled his arm back letting everything had strike the man in the face. The man was much bigger and stronger so when he regained himself he easily tossed Wesley off him.

Wesley felt to large hands clamp around his neck compressing the life away from him. Wesley tried to suck in air but everything was started to spin as the overwhelming sensation of oxygen deprivation was taking over him.

"_GET OFF OF HIM_" a little girly voice screamed.

Both Wesley and the man turned their heads looking seeing a tiny little red fox staring back at them. Idris ran forward bashing her skull right into the man's gut. The air suddenly filled Wesley's lungs as he sucked in large breaths. Wesley coughed violently trying to steady his breathing but once back on his feet he looked at the guy Idris had just pummeled and watched him run off into the woods.

Wesley turned to see Chris still fighting it out with two people. The kid could take a beating, his face was bloody and his glasses no wear to be found but he kept at it. Wesley ran over tackling one of the suited men that wasn't Isaac and started laying into him. Chris threw a right hook hitting the Isaac in the side of the face causing him to stumble backwards. Giving up he took off into the woods too. Wesley fists struck now on top of the guy he just tackled and was just pounding him over and over again. Chris wrapping his arm Wesley pulling him off out of fear he might kill the man.

"FUCK!" he screamed. Trying to pry himself from Chris, but it was too late the guy had gotten to his feet and was off. Chris finally let go and Wesley screamed as loud as he could in rage. Wesley took in a deep breath turning towards Chris. Both of the boys stared at each other.

"Thank you Chris." Wesley said as he groaned collapsing on the ground breathing heavily.

Wesley heard Chris fall also. "Least I could do after you helped me."

"You really wanted that Poliwag."

Chris laughed but held his gut. "Oh it hurts to laugh."

Idris was now sniffing Wesley's face and gave him a small lick. "You spoke to me" he reached up petting her on the head. Wesley listened for a moment but there was nothing.

"Figured" Wesley muttered with a small smile.

"So, I left my stuff back at the pond." Chris giving a small heaving sound lifting his body up for a second then fell back down. "Just a few more minutes then."

…

It took them all night to get back to Chris's stuff but it was worth it, they were far enough away to feel safe from whoever those attackers were. It was dawn when they got back and Wesley just rolled out his sleeping back and laid on top of it. He started to close his eyes when he turned towards Chris.

"How did you know?" Wesley asked.

" I saw the Fearow flying overhead when I was hunting. It was strange since Fearow aren't native to this side of the country. Plus they usually hunt in groups" Chris said in an almost practiced tone.

"Then I saw the guys walking in the woods and I heard them talking about a Vulpix they wanted. I assumed it was you

Wesley face was on the sleeping bag "thank you again." He didn't even care if the story seemed a bit weird, Idris was safe because of him and that meant he owed him. Whatever his story was he at least owed it to him not to pry into his reasons.

When Wesley woke up the sun was high in the sky and Chris was already up cooking some fish he caught with. Chris's face was swollen and had a cut that ran along his forward and cheek. Wesley shared what supplies he had in his first aid kit with him. They both agreed it was saver to travel together and decided they were going to head off to East Helios first. It took them two days but when they got there it was the biggest sigh of relief Wesley had gotten in a while.

East Helios was smaller than Wesley had expected, there was no downtown with tall skyscrapers it just looked like a big community of suburban areas. As they walked into town they suddenly felt out of place covered in dirt with, greasy hair, they probably smelled too. They settled on getting a room first and after finding a cheap motel room, Chris showered first and was off. Wesley took a long warm shower feeling refreshed afterwards. He bathed both Buizel and Idris leaving them both to play in the bathtub while he pulled out his phone and plugged in the charger.

He selected Hugo from the contacts and listened to the ringer.

"Hello" said a softer voice.

"Cecilia?" Wesley asked.

"Wes? Wesley!" she shouted into the receiver forcing him to hold the phone back for a moment. "How've you been!"

"Just got into East Helios, took my first shower in weeks." Wesley said.

"Oh god! I know the feeling. The first couple of weeks were rough"

"Yeah I got to say it's been quite an adventure so far. " Wesley said "Hey where is Hugo?"

"Oh sorry I forgot, He's in a battle right now. One of the Gyms Trainers that you need to battle before you can take on the Gym Leader."

"Is he winning?" Wesley asked.

"Hugo is a really good trainer, it rarely see him lose. It's a shame you didn't get to leave with us. Hugo is just a got to go fast kind of guy. We are always on the move. Good thing too if he didn't we would just laze about in town." Cecilia said.

"Well, I'm sure I'll catch up since you have to wait a little bit from right?"

The conversation moved to the pokemon they caught, Wesley told her about the Buizel he caught and she told him she got a Sewaddle. Ten minutes later Chris walked back into the room with a box of pizza and a plastic back with treats. Wesley said his goodbye and joined Chris.

"Was that your girlfriend or something." He said opening the pizza box handing one of complimentary plates the pizza place added.

"Thanks." Wesley said grabbing a slice of pizza. Idris and the Buizel were now running around the room with wet fur. Idris prance over at Wesley's leg and sat down looking up at him, but his other pokemon hopped on the bed and laid down.

"Remember those friends I told you I was trying to catch?" Wesley said

"Yeah, about that I had an idea." Chris said taking a huge bit of his pizza and pulled out a giant paper map and putting it on the dressed. When he swallowed he placed his finger on the map.

"So the path we follow is this." Chris said dragging his finger that rested on East Helios. Directly east was boulder canyon following all the way to the coast. Chris finger dragged along a path way to the south it touched the coast which was a way around the canyon from there they would then go east past Seaside Cove and it would reached Waterfront Villa. "The normal route but, I happen to know that here" his finger back to where the canyon area was at "That there are caves that lead through this area in between. Instead of taking weeks to get there we turn it into a few days."

Wesley was offering pepperonis to Idris while he watched. "How do you know this?" Wesley questioned.

"Well my dad was a trainer, he knows a few things." Chris answered. "check your pokedex I bet your tracker friend found it too. "

Sure enough Chris was right there was pathway that leads from the Canyon to Waterfront. He looked at the winding pathway of the cave Franklin had marked and he lifted a brow.

"This looks like we will be in a dark cave for a couple days. Think we could handle no sunlight for that long?"

Chris scoffed folding his arms "Simple, You?"

"What!" Wesley smiled slightly. "I'm pretty much scared-out after this week."

…

The boys took a few days of rest in East Helios. Wesley took his Buizel to the pokemon center to get him registered. The pokemon center was big sliding glass doors. The inside was open with high ceelings decorated like any hospital you would think of. There was a waiting room plenty of desks with trainers handing over there pokemon to be cured. There was a store there selling medical supplies which he made a mental note to pick up some more potions.. He approached one of the empty desks and got his newest pokemon registered. The nurse briefed him on the age and diet of the Buizel finding out he wasn't much older than Idris. She told him that it would be a little while before his tails are strong enough to sustain flight and that's when the name hit Wesley.

Wesley battled with the Buizel, who was now named Wright, the four days they spent in East Helios Wesley firsts battle with the new pokemon was rocky had but after a day or so Write started to trust Wesley. So anybody who was willing to battle him he did it. Idris had finally spawned her sixth and final tail while in town. On the eve of the boys departure Chris coaxed Wesley to accept a battle from this really pretty girl hoping it would make him actually talk to her.

"Dodge it Write!" Wesley called in a pokemon battle with one of the girls in town. The Wingull had dived towards the orange furred weasel pokemon. Wright's agility was phenomenal as it quickly kicked off to the side. "Bring it to the ground!" Wesley called. Write timed it perfectly hitting its tail against the ground leaping into the air and with a forward flip and slammed his tail into the body of the bird. The bird hit the ground with a thud.

"Water gun!" the girl cried.

The bird sent a jet of water soaring at Wright, but his speed trumped the bird as "Quick Attack!" Wesley called. Wright was off but then something different happened, Wright tail started to glow and he leaped in the smashing the bird with an Iron Tail attack. The Wingull was out cold.

The girl huffed as she returned her pokemon "Here take your damn money" she said throwing the 30 bucks on the floor. Wesley and Chris just looked at each other and shrugged.

At the end of the week the boys packed up their gear and extra food and even bought a lantern and some flash lights for their trip. Being on the road again was rejuvenating and more relaxing then last time he had left. He bought new clothes while in town, stuff built for the summer heat, and a new belt to hold his pokeballs. The trip to boulder canyon wasn't long it only took them a day of walking until they reached a camp ground right outside the entrance of the path way up. There was a sign that read-

**Caution: Enter at risk. Any trainer attempting to cross the canyon understand the risks involved that may cause bodied harm or death.**

Chris and Wesley both laughed nervously but both paid to stay at the boulder canyon camp grounds for the night and rest up for the big day tomorrow. That night in the tent Wesley laid down with Idris snuggled into his side staring up at the night sky through the veil of his tent. He felt his phone buzz when he checked the caller Id he said the big flashing words of MOM on the screen. Laugh as he clicked ignore rolling on his side.

He had nothing to say to her.


End file.
